Side defroster air outlet structure

ABSTRACT

An air outlet of a side defroster is disposed on a front pillar of a vehicle, and includes upper vertical fins configured to direct a flow of air toward a side window, and lower vertical fins configured to direct a flow of air toward a fixed window disposed forward with respect to the side window.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No.2021-104905 filed on Jun. 24, 2021, which is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety including the specification, claims, drawings,and abstract.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to an air outlet structure of a sidedefroster in a vehicle.

BACKGROUND

Vehicles have a side defroster that defogs a side window. A sidedefroster blows out air from an air outlet disposed on a front pillartoward the side window to blow the air onto the side window fordemisting, thereby securing the driver's visibility of a door mirrorthrough the side window (see JP 2020-040421 A, for example).

SUMMARY

Some vehicles further include a fixed window disposed forward withrespect to the side window. Similar to the side window, the fixed windowalso need to be defogged to secure the driver's visibility of the doormirror.

It is difficult, however, to blow out air toward a range of area fromthe fixed window to the back of the side window using the air outletdisposed on the front pillar. An additional air outlet is thereforedisposed on a door trim under the fixed window to demist the fixedwindow.

Disposing an additional air outlet for the fixed window, however,increases the costs for a side defroster. The additional air outletfurther lowers design property within the vehicle cabin. This additionalair outlet further requires a space for the side defroster where a ductthat is connected to the additional air outlet is placed. Further, theside defroster cannot be shared between vehicles with a fixed window andvehicles without a fixed window.

An embodiment of the disclosure is therefore aimed at providing an airoutlet structure of a side defroster that enables blowing of air towardboth a side window and a fixed window.

In accordance with an aspect of the disclosure, an air outlet structureof a side defroster is disposed on a front pillar of a vehicle andincludes a first fin configured to direct a flow of air toward a sidewindow, and a second fin configured to direct a flow of air toward afixed window disposed forward with respect to the side window.

In an embodiment of the side defroster air outlet structure, the firstfin and the second fin may be disposed substantially vertically, and thesecond fin may be disposed below the first fin.

In an embodiment of the side defroster air outlet structure, the airoutlet structure may further include a third fin disposed substantiallyhorizontally to separate a first area in which a flow of air is directedby the first fin in an air outlet, from a second area in which a flow ofair is directed by the second fin in an air outlet.

In an embodiment of the side defroster air outlet structure, the secondfin may be inclined further outward in a vehicle width direction,relative to the first fin, as the second fin extends rearward along avehicle length.

The air outlet structure of a side defroster of the disclosure enablesblowing out of air toward both the side window and the fixed window.

This configuration eliminates the need for disposing separate airoutlets for the side window and the fixed window independently, therebyreducing the costs for the defroster. As there is no need to dispose anadditional air outlet for the fixed window, design property within thevehicle cabin can be increased. Further, the side defroster including noair outlet for the fixed window requires less space in the vehicle.

Also, the side defroster can be shared between vehicles with the fixedwindow and vehicles without the fixed window simply by modifying the finshape of the air outlet structure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

An embodiment of the present disclosure will be described based on thefollowing figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a side defroster according toan embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a front view of an air outlet according to an exampleembodiment;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along A-A line in FIG. 2 forschematically illustrating a flow of air; and

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along B-B line in FIG. 2 forschematically illustrating a flow of air.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

An example embodiment of the disclosure will be described in detailbelow. In the following description, specific shapes, materials,directions, numeral values, for example, are described for illustrativepurposes to facilitate understanding of the disclosure, and may bechanged as appropriate in accordance with the use, purpose,specification, for example.

Referring to FIG. 1 , a side defroster 10 according to an embodimentwill be described.

The side defroster 10 is ancillary equipment for an air conditionerdisposed in a vehicle. The side defroster 10 blows air on a side window11 and a fixed window 12 to remove condensation or fogging on surfacesof the side window 11 and the fixed window 12 facing the vehicleinterior. The side defroster 10 secures driver's visibility of a doormirror (not shown) through the side window 11 and the fixed window 12.

The side defroster 10 blows out the air supplied by an air conditioner(not shown) through an air outlet 20 disposed on a front pillar 13 andblows the air onto both the side window 11 and the fixed window 12.

The side window 11 and the fixed window 12 are disposed on a side faceof a vehicle body. The fixed window 12 is located forward with respectto the side window 11. The side window 11 is vertically slidable by aregulator to open or close, and the fixed window 12 is fixed to thevehicle body and cannot be opened.

The front pillars 13 support the roof of the vehicle body at opposingends of a windshield 14. The front pillar 13 houses a duct (not shown)connected to the air outlet 20.

Referring to FIGS. 2 to 4 , the air outlet 20 according to an exampleembodiment will be described.

The air outlet 20 is disposed at the lower part of the front pillar 13and blows air, such as hot air, toward the side window 11 and the fixedwindow 12, as described above. Air can be blown from the air outlet 20toward both the side window 11 and the fixed window 12, as will bedetailed below.

The air outlet 20 includes a plurality of planar fins (louvers) fixed tothe air outlet 20. The fins include fins (including upper vertical fins21 and lower vertical fins 22, which will be described below)substantially parallel to the vertical direction, and a fin (including aseparation fin 23 which will be described below) substantially parallelto the horizontal direction or the vehicle width direction. These finsare integrally molded from a resin material.

More specifically, the air outlet 20 includes the upper vertical fins 21or first fins to direct a flow of air toward the side window 11, and thelower vertical fins 22 or second fins to direct a flow of air toward thefixed window 12 disposed further forward with respect to the side window11.

The upper vertical fins 21 are disposed substantially vertically abovethe lower vertical fins 22. Each of the upper vertical fins 21 isdisposed to be inclined outward in the vehicle width direction as theupper vertical fin 21 extends rearward along the vehicle length. Theangle of inclination of the upper vertical fin 21 is determined to allowthe flow of air to be directed by the upper vertical fins 21 toward theentire side window 11.

The upper vertical fins 21 are arranged parallel to each other orarranged such that a space between the upper vertical fins 21 increasestoward the rear of the upper vertical fins 21. Here, an area of the airoutlet 20 where the upper vertical fins 21 are disposed is referred toas an upper area R1 or a first area. The upper area R1 is formed in theupper portion of the air outlet 20.

The lower vertical fins 22 are disposed substantially vertically belowthe upper vertical fins 21. Each of the lower vertical fins 22 isdisposed to be inclined outward in the vehicle width direction as thelower vertical fin 21 extends rearward along the vehicle length. Thelower vertical fins 22 are inclined further outward relative to theupper vertical fins 21. The angle of inclination of the lower verticalfin 22 is determined to allow the flow of air to be directed by thelower vertical fins 22 toward the entire fixed window 12. The verticallength of the lower vertical fin 22 is about one-third of the verticallength of the entire upper vertical fin 21.

The lower vertical fins 22 are arranged parallel to each other orarranged such that a space between the lower vertical fins 22 increasestoward the rear of the lower vertical fins 22. Here, an area of the airoutlet 20 where the lower vertical fins 22 are disposed is referred toas a lower area R2 or a second area. The lower area R2 is formed in thelower portion of the air outlet 20. The lower area R2 has an area thatis about one-third of the upper area R1.

The ratio of the vertical length of the upper vertical fin 21 and thevertical length of the lower vertical fin 22, that is, the ratio of thearea of the upper area R1 and the area of the lower area R2, is notlimited to the above example, and is determined according to the ratioof the area of the side window 11 and the area of the fixed window 12.

The air outlet 20 is disposed substantially horizontally, and furtherincludes a separation fin 23 or a third fin that separates the upperarea R1 from the lower area R2 described above. This configurationprevents mixture of the air directed by the upper vertical fins 21 withthe air directed by the lower vertical fins 22.

The side defroster 10 configured as described above blows air suppliedfrom the air conditioner via the duct through the air outlet 20, forexample. As illustrated in FIG. 3 , the air blown out from the upperarea R1 in the air outlet 20 is directed by the upper vertical fins 21outward in the vehicle width direction and blown onto the side window 11(see arrow F1 in FIG. 3 ). As illustrated in FIG. 4 , the air blown outfrom the lower area R2 in the air outlet 20 is directed by the lowervertical fins 22 outward in the vehicle width direction and blown ontothe fixed window 12 (see arrow F2 in FIG. 4 ).

The air outlet 20 of the side defroster 10 can thus blow out air ontoboth the side window 11 and the fixed window 12.

This configuration eliminates the need for disposing an air outlet forthe side window 11 and an air outlet for the fixed window 12,separately, thereby reducing costs for the side defroster 10. Further,as an additional air outlet for the fixed window 12 need not be disposedon the door trim, design property within the vehicle cabin can beenhanced. Also, as an additional air outlet for the fixed window 12 neednot be disposed on the door trim panel or door lining panel, a space forthe side defroster 10 can be reduced within the vehicle.

The side defroster 10 can be shared between vehicles with the fixedwindow 12 and vehicles without the fixed window 12 simply by changingthe shape of fins in the air outlet structure.

As described above, the upper vertical fins 21 for directing the flow ofair toward the side window 11 are disposed in the upper portion of theair outlet 20 and the lower vertical fins 22 for directing the flow ofair toward the fixed window 12 are disposed in the lower portion of theair outlet 20. This configuration enables air to be reliably blown ontothe lower portion of the fixed window 12 disposed close to the airoutlet 20 or disposed further frontward.

When the fins for directing the flow of air toward the side window 11are disposed in the lower portion of the air outlet 20 and the fins fordirecting the flow of air toward the fixed window 12 are disposed in theupper portion of the air outlet 20, for example, it is not possible toblow sufficient air from the upper portion of the air outlet 20 towardthe lower portion of the fixed window 12.

In the above example, the fins for directing the flow of air toward theside window 11 or the upper vertical fins 21, and the fins for directingthe flow of air toward the fixed window 12 or the lower vertical fins22, are arranged separately along the vertical direction. Thisconfiguration reduces the pressure loss in the air outlet 20.

When the fins for directing the flow of air toward the side window 11are disposed inward along the vehicle width, and the fins for directingthe flow of air toward the fixed window 12 are disposed outward alongthe vehicle width, for example, it is necessary to increase the bendingangle, using the fins, to blow the air onto the fixed window 12. Thisconfiguration increases the pressure loss.

The present disclosure is not limited to the embodiment described aboveand modification examples thereof, and various modifications andimprovements, may be made within the scope of the features as defined inthe claims of the present application.

1. A side defroster air outlet structure disposed on a front pillar of avehicle, the side defroster air outlet structure comprising: a first finconfigured to direct a flow of air toward a side window; and a secondfin configured to direct a flow of air toward a fixed window disposedforward with respect to the side window.
 2. The side defroster airoutlet structure according to claim 1, wherein the first fin and thesecond fin are disposed substantially vertically, and the second fin isdisposed below the first fin.
 3. The side defroster air outlet structureaccording to claim 1, further comprising: a third fin disposedsubstantially horizontally to separate a first area in which a flow ofair is directed by the first fin in an air outlet, from a second area inwhich a flow of air is directed by the second fin in the air outlet. 4.The side defroster air outlet structure according to claim 1, whereinthe second fin is inclined further outward in a vehicle width direction,relative to the first fin, as the second fin extends rearward along avehicle length.
 5. The side defroster air outlet structure according toclaim 2, further comprising: a third fin disposed substantiallyhorizontally to separate a first area in which a flow of air is directedby the first fin in the air outlet, from a second area in which a flowof air is directed by the second fin in the air outlet.
 6. The sidedefroster air outlet structure according to claim 2, wherein the secondfin is inclined further outward in a vehicle width direction, relativeto the first fin, as the second fin extends rearward along a vehiclelength.
 7. The side defroster air outlet structure according to claim 3,wherein, the second fin is inclined further outward in a vehicle widthdirection, relative to the first fin, as the second fin extends rearwardalong a vehicle length.